In her interview with entertainment and culture writer Kelley A. Carter, Issa shared that her parents raised her to be pro-Black and love the skin that she’s in.

“My parents helped me and they hurt me,” she reflects. “My mom was extremely pro-Black, and I believed her. My dad is Senegalese, and I grew up around my dark-skinned cousins and just thought that they were the most beautiful women in the world. I was surrounded by beautiful dark people,” she said.

Adding, “And then middle school hit, and I was like, Oh, they think I’m ugly. They think I’m big. They think I’m unattractive. I went back to my mom like, ‘What the f—k?! Y’all lied to me my whole life. What is this?!’ I started realizing, Mom, you’re light-skinned. So I don’t know what you were talking about. It’s not like you can relate to being dark. And your hair is not the same texture as mine. So what do you know about telling me I’m beautiful? Why would you lie to me? That definitely had an impact on how I saw myself.”

Meanwhile, look at all of this flawless rich melanin!

Source: Itaysha Jordan / Essence Magazine

FYI: Y’all see that diamond ring on her left hand too??? Is she trying to tell us that she’s engaged too?

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Issa Rae of House Diop. First of her name. Slayer of Content. Opener of Doors. Creator of Best Life. Producer of Dreams. You deserve all the props and your work is making so many people realize that they too can be the architects of what they don't see. WERK!!! 💫👑 pic.twitter.com/iWotPeDNfj

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Ma’am!!!! MA’AM!!! You not finna drop this off casually like that! What is life?!?! My godT if you don’t look like THEE most heaviest biscuit sopped up by the most fragrant, flavorful meat juices 💜❤️👏🏽😍 F’ IT UP SIS!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/kLqtSnTuk6